Access to HE Diploma (Social Work)

Blended course – You will have the opportunity to come into college for ‘drop-in’ support sessions with your specialist tutor who can provide guidance and support with your assignments and access remote support during the working week.

Your study materials, resources, textbooks and assignments are provided and supported using the Moodle platform, with ongoing support from the experienced and subject specialist Access to HE curriculum team

COURSE UNITS:

Unit 1: Researching and Understanding Opportunities in Higher Education

Upon successful completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the range of opportunities available in Higher Education.
• Understand the advantages and disadvantages of choosing a particular Higher Education opportunity.
• Be able to action plan for the development of career related abilities and skills.
• Understand the importance of broader life experiences and transferable skills in relation to progression to Higher Education.

Unit 2: Academic Writing Skills

Upon successful completion of this unit, you will:

• Be able to structure a written response
• Be able to develop a structured response to a plan
• Be able to present the response appropriately for audience and purpose
• Understand how to apply academic writing principles to own work

Unit 3: Perspectives in Psychology

Upon successful completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand different psychological perspectives
• Understand the differences between alternative psychological perspectives
• Be able to apply psychological perspectives to contemporary issues in psychology

Unit 4: Crime and Society

Upon successful completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand crime and deviance
• Understand crime statistics
• Be able to evaluate theoretical explanations of crime
• Know social and cultural patterns of crime and criminality

Unit 5: Biopsychology: Behaviour and the Brain

Upon successful completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the concept of localisation of function
• Be able to evaluate methods of investigating the relationship between the brain and behaviour
• Understand the interaction between the brain and behaviour

Unit 6: Biopsychology: Behaviour and Drugs

Upon successful completion of this unit, you will:

• Know how neurotransmitters in the brain control behaviour.
• Understand the effects of psychoactive drugs on behaviour

• Be able to evaluate the role of drugs in the treatment of psychological disorders. 

Unit 7: The Role and Responsibilities of a Social Worker

Upon successful completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the role and responsibilities of a Social Worker.
• Understand social work values and principles
• Be able to evaluate the impact of legislation on social work practice
• Understand the needs of client groups and the services available to them. 

Unit 8: Responding to Prejudice and Discrimination

Upon successful completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand theories for prejudice and discrimination
• Be able to evaluate legal responses to discrimination and prejudice.
• Understand community initiatives in overcoming discrimination and prejudice

Unit 9: Developmental Psychology

Upon successful completion of this unit, you will:

• Be able to evaluate the nature/ nurture debate in developmental psychology.
• Understand early socialisation and the formation of attachment
• Understand cognitive development and the ways in which children process and use information
• Know the application of developmental psychology theories in the real world
• Understand psychological changes that accompany ageing

Unit 10: Family

Upon successful completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the relationship between the family and the wider society
• Understand role relationships within the family
• Be able to evaluate the influence of feminism on the study of the family

Unit 11: Cognitive Psychology

Upon successful completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand theories relating to cognitive psychology.
• Be able to evaluate the contribution of cognitive psychology research to our understanding of various cognitive processes.
• Be able to apply cognitive psychology theories to real-world situations.

Unit 12: Understanding the Welfare State

Upon successful completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the historical development of the British Welfare State
• Understand the main welfare services available in contemporary British society
• Be able to evaluate the differing ideologies of welfare and their implications for service provision.
• Understand a current contemporary issue in welfare provision

Unit 13: Poverty in Contemporary Britain

Upon successful completion of this unit, you will:

• Be able to evaluate definitions and theoretical explanations of poverty.
• Understand the historical context and changes in poverty in Britain.
• Be able to evaluate recent policies for tackling poverty in Britain

Unit 14: Social Inequality

Upon successful completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the relationship between social differentiation and social inequality
• Understand the main theoretical perspectives on social inequality
• Be able to analyse and evaluate how class, gender and ethnicity influence opportunities available to people.

Unit 15: Social Care Provisions

Upon successful completion of this unit, you will:

• Understand the adult and child social work provisions in the UK
• Be able to evaluate the contributions of the voluntary and private sector in the provision of care
• Understand the differing welfare needs of groups of people

Learning is assessed in a variety of methods to prepare you to study at university. These may include essays, report writing, online assessment, and presentations.

You must achieve 60 credits at Level 3 to be awarded the Access to HE Diploma:

Graded - 45 are Graded Credits in Academic Units at Pass, Merit or Distinction

Ungraded: 15 are Ungraded Credits in Study Skills.

Are there any additional costs the student be made aware of?

Your UCAS application for university entry will cost £28.50

You will be able to progress to university for an undergraduate degree or degree apprenticeship if you meet the entry requirements of your specific undergraduate course.

You will apply through UCAS – more details can be found via this website - https://www.ucas.com/

Learners who complete this qualification can progress to university for an Undergraduate Degree or Degree Apprenticeships.

What are the career routes for this course?

Social Work, Sociology, Social Policy, Social Sciences, Probation Service, Youth and Family Work, Family Support Worker, Criminology, Policing

On successful completion of the Access to Higher Education Diploma (Social Work), you will receive a Skills

& Education Group Access, QAA recognised, Access to Higher Education Diploma at Level 3 with 60

credits.

As part of your programme, you will also receive help as well as guidance on your university application

and the research you need to do to get the most out of your diploma.

Awarding body

Skills & Education Group Access - An Access Validating Agency with a strong social purpose to recognise achievement, particularly for those who have benefited least from their previous educational experiences, Skills and Education Group Access supports the needs of learners, providers, businesses and communities by enabling progression into higher education.